Avoid an interview disaster

It would be great if you had warning lights or a siren to notify you of an impending interview disaster. Unfortunately, there are no blinking lights telling you to take a new direction when things appear awkward during an interview.

There are warning signs but you must look for them and know how to change directions when danger is near. The cues usually come in the form of verbal and non-verbal language, and paying close attention to them helps you avoid an interview fiasco.

The reasons are unclear as to why candidates are invited to an interview only to be sent mixed messages but it does happen. A candidate recently described a situation in which the interviewer starting yawning during her answers and after the third yawn, she started feeling uneasy about the meeting.

While yawning is not a crime, it can send a “not interested” message if kept up during the meeting. In her case, after sighing several times with no apology, she sensed the interviewer was bored and going through the motions rather than being interested.

It’s embarrassing and disheartening to a job candidate who has their hopes up in making a good impression only to encounter a difficult interview situation.

If you face an interview that appears to be going nowhere, here are some suggestions that you could take to save it.

For instance, the yawning interviewer could easily send mixed messages. If your meeting is after lunch or follows a series of interviews with different candidates a yawn could indicate tiredness rather than disinterest. A day of interviews can be tiring. In this case, take the cue and start adding more energy in your voice by making your answers engaging.

Up your game by giving results and telling them about your unique contributions. You need to re-energize the discussion or you run the risk of blending in with everyone else.

If the interviewer is rushed and trying to juggle a work schedule while conducting interviews, chances are your answers will get lost. Another candidate once described an interview with a manager that took three calls and glanced at his emails through their meeting.

Multi-tasking is a cue for you to change directions, consider stop talking and show empathy towards a busy work schedule. Ask if there is a better time to meet. While you may run the risk of rescheduling, an interview is an important meeting for both you and the employer.

This is a good example of a non-verbal warning, if the interviewer is not paying attention to you during an interview, how would they respond to you as an employee?

What about the interviewer who puts you on trial? That’s the one who interrogates you rather than build rapport. Every question seems like a trap for more in-depth examination to catch you not giving a correct answer. There could be an explanation behind this, namely unskilled interviewers with good intentions but lack the skills needed to put the candidate at ease.

If the hairsplitting questions continue throughout your meeting, it could be a huge reflection of their management style. You can help turn the interview around by using clarifying questions such as, “did I answer your concerns” or “help me understand the type of information you are looking for”. You might be the one that puts the interviewer at ease by changing your communication strategy and listen for their concerns.

Watch out for the interviewer who paints a negative picture of those that have gone before you. They could be looking for a candidate that does not exist. If the job is that difficult with a lot of turnover, that’s a cue for you to observe and ask more questions.

If you have trouble getting clear answers to the types of skills they are looking for, this could be a sign this job would be a disaster to your career.

Not every job will be the right one for you regardless of your desire to work. Every interview serves as a cue as to what the organization values, style of management and whether it will be a good match for you.

The warning signs are around you, just watch for them. They will tell you how to redirect the interview and avoid a disaster.